Sunday, August 9, 2009

MmmMmmmMmmmm. I mean fuck this thing is good. Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a big part of many people's childhood. It would normally be made in a Bundt Cake mold as well. I don't always like the donut mound cake pan. I don't always like the pineapple flavoured overload either.Which is why I always keep other flavors of cake mix in the house. This time it was Pecan cake mix. (Yes, I'm missing cherries. My kids dig em... too much.)

Cut small pieces of left over Pineapple Slices into the cake batter. Use scissors so you don't lose any juice. Fold into batter.

Pour the cake batter into the Cast Iron pan while on heated stove. If it almost completely fills the pan, that is okay. It doesn't rise very high. Place pan onto a metal baking sheet for cautious folks. Be careful the Cast Iron Pan will stay hot!

Bake at 350*F for about 30 Mins.

Don't let the pan sit to cool. Flip onto final dish immediately with oven mits and both hands. If you let it cool, the pineapples will be glued to the pan by the cooling sugar. Add icing if you desire it.

I have a long love with Pot Pies. Those found in my Irish bakeries of youth, or those frozen fatty delights in the freezer section. I just can't help myself. I've had the craving for a while now and a simple trip to buy Pie Dough was all it took. Mind you, I went looking for Filo Dough to put on top, BUT my store was completely out. I obviously wasn't up to the challenge to go some where else to find them.

I start overnight. By overnight I mean just before bed around midnight. I check on it twice about the same time the baby is up for food. If you have no such schedule, and you want it slow cooked, use a cock pot and NOT a stove.

Add Chicken Broth to a large pot with Celery, White Onion, Raw Carrot, and spices. Let simmer with lid for about 30 mins.

Cut Chicken and add to pot. Reduced heat to low and cook overnight.

Turn heat to Med-High and keep at a slow boiling point. Let reduce about 20+ mins. The contents of the pot should be jutting out of the broth. (I make mine with more vegetables and meat than sauce. if you like sauce portion out your contents and leave more broth in the pot.)

Reduce heat and add Frozen Veggies and Green Onion. Add Corn starch to thicken for 5 mins. It should look a bit like thick soup.

Line the pie dish with thawed Pie Crust. Bake bottom only according to the box. Mine said 400*F. for about 5 mins until it has a nice firm body to the crust.

Pour in pie filling. Cover with the other thawed pie crust. Pinch, fork, or manipulate the crusts to lock together however you like. Bake for 30 mins at 400*F. If your edges start to brown faster than your pie top, cover the crust's edge around the pie with aluminium foil.

(I apologize, I didn't steal the soul out of this one yet. I will update. Until then enjoy this guy's Pita!)

Maque Choux is a traditional Louisiana dish. My husband is Cajun "CoonAss" from South Central LA. Not quite the Hood, but more like the wilderness. He wasn't so sure about this dish when I first approached him with it. But guess what? Even the kids ate it and loved it!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

I'll be the first to tell you I'm a grocery store Wandering Nomad. I hunt and I gather whatever it is on sale, catches my eye, or looks good. I don't plan meals (even though I'm home most of the day) and I sure don't make lists.

(Like Stuffing, all ingredients that need cooking like meats, must be cooked before baked.) In a large pan, brown turkey meat spiced with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic. Add half the onions and cook until soft. Add basil and the small can of tomato soup. Do not add water to the soup. Simmer on medium. The tomato soup will cook down slightly.

Start your rice in cooker or stove top. Cut tomatoes by preference and slice mushrooms. Add both to remaining onion.

Cut the tops off the green peppers and clean out its guts. Assembly in the middle of a baking dish. Juice the lemon and pour on the outside of the peppers in the dish.

I add a tablespoon of the onion/mushroom/tomato mix to the bottom of each pepper.Add the rest of the mixture to the cooking meat sauce.

The sauce should thicken by evaporation within 10-15 mins. Add rice to the sauce. (Like I said you need a large pan.)

Turn off the heat under the pan. Spoon mixture high into the peppers and cover with pepper lid. Spoon the rest of the rice and sauce around the peppers.

Sprinkle sugar and Parmesan cheese to the tops of the peppers. Cover loosely with tent Aluminum foil. Bake at 350*F for 25 minutes. The peppers should look less dark green. Take off the foil and let bake for an extra 5 mins to caramelize the pepper lids.